Wild Horse & Burro Event in Mercedes, TX

NORMAN, OK – The Bureau of Land Management will hold a wild horse and burro adoption and sale event in Mercedes, Texas, on Jan. 12-13, 2018. The two-day event at the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds will feature 35 wild horses and burros. The event will take place from noon – 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, and, and 8 a.m. – noon on Saturday, Jan 13. Some animals may be eligible for direct purchase to a good home, while others will be eligible for adoption. Inquire with BLM staff onsite for more information.

The horses offered for adoption are adult and yearling horses and burros that once roamed free on public lands in the West. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range in order to maintain healthy herds, and to protect other rangeland resources.

The adoption program is essential for achieving these important management goals. Since 1973, the BLM has placed more than 235,000 of these “living legends” in approved homes across the country.

BLM staff will approve applications on-site. To qualify to adopt or buy, one must be at least 18, with no record of animal abuse. Qualified homes must have a minimum of 400 square feet of corral space per animal, with free access to food, water, and shelter. A six-foot corral fence is required for adult horses; five feet for yearlings; and four-and-a-half feet for burros. All animals must be loaded in covered, stock-type trailers with swing gates and sturdy walls and floors. BLM staff will be on hand to assist with the short application process.

The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds is located at 1000 North Texas Ave. (on U.S. HWY 83 in Mercedes, take the Texas Ave. exit, and go north approximately 2 blocks to facility). For more information, call toll-free 866-468-7826 or visit www.blm.gov.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $75 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2016—more than any other agency in the Department of the Interior. These activities supported more than 372,000 jobs.